Goodbye
by catdammerj
Summary: Gale's always having to say goodbye to Katniss. His perspective in HG, CF, and Mockingjay. Rating K , might change.
1. Hunger Games Part I

**Okay, so this is my first story that I've written second person. Basically, it's just Gale's perspective on all the important events in Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. Enjoy.**

**If I owned the Hunger Games, many, many things would be different. Unforunately, I do not. Suzanne Collins does. **

* * *

So there's this girl.

Yeah, I know. There's been girls before her. Ones that you thought were pretty, or that you flirted with, or that you stole kisses from. But this one's different. Though she's as pretty as some, she's so beautiful it can take your breath away. There's so many things about her that are perfect, you can't count. The way she tilts her head when she's really listening. Her laugh, on the rare occasions you can coax it out. The way she walks like a forest animal, not making a sound, even when she's not in the forest. Her face, when she focuses on a target with an arrow that you already know will hit its mark, because she never misses. She's perfect.

That's not to mention her bravery. Her strength. How she loves so fiercely. When she lets you in, it's like entering Heaven itself. She struggles just as much as you, but she comes through it; she never gives up; she's your inspiration to keep going.

You try to get up the courage to tell her. Because after one winter night, you realize just how much you love her. You love her so desperately that sometimes, when you wake up in the middle of the night, you need her there, because she's your other half. The only person who understands you, who knows you through and through and accepts you for it.

When you spend time together, in the woods that are your home, you try to tell her. But there's never a right, the words never sound heartfelt in your head. One time, you get really close.

"Katniss," you say, to catch her attention.

"Yes, Gale?" She turns to you, the light catching her eyes.

"I-I-think we should try the berry patch today," you say, losing your courage.

"We were just there two days ago. Why don't we try the fields instead?"

You agree, because her instincts are always right. And you curse at yourself for how cowardly you are.

But you figure you'll have time. Plenty of time. It's your last year in the reaping, and even though your odds are high, it's unimaginable you'll ever have to enter the Hunger Games. It happens to other people. Sure, you know some of them, but you don't think you're ever going into the Arena. And you never do.

But when you hear the name Primrose Everdeen read out, you know that she's going in. You know because Katniss is Katniss, and the only person who she loves with her whole being is Prim. She'd sacrifice herself in an instant for that girl. And when she utters the words "I volunteer" the only thing you can do is grab her screaming little sister and try to hold her back, as the girl you love climbs the platform to her death. You hate everybody in that moment. You want to kill every single person ever involved in the Games, because they have all conspired to kill this girl who shouldn't die. But there's nothing you can do. For just a second, you consider volunteering, but you know that she would never forgive you if you didn't take care of her family. This is her death sentence; not yours.

So you wait your turn to say goodbye. You wait as first her family, then that baker, Mellark?, then Madge say their final good byes. When you walk in and see her, you just want to fall at her feet and weep. But you are Gale Hawthorne- you don't cry. Not since the day your father died and you became the head of the family. You are strong. You have to be strong. For her. So you open her arms, and touch her one last time, because giving her a tiny bit of support, even if it's just a warm embrace, is all you can do. You tell her to find wood, to hunt them like animals, because that's the one other thing you can give her; a last piece of advice. And before you know it, those damn Peacekeepers come. You need more time with her. To tell her that you love her, that she's your other half, the only person you've ever opened up to. The only one you'll ever trust.

But they take you away, and once again you don't tell her the words that should've been so easy to say.

I love you. Good bye.


	2. Hunger Part Part II

**So here's the second chapter. It's short. Again. I really need to write longer chapters. Oh, well. Please enjoy!**

**I won nothing, except for my copies of the books!**The Peacekeepers dump you outside. For a minute you're tempted to pound on the doors, demand that they let you back in. But you know that won't do anything but bruise your hands, so you turn and leave.

* * *

You walk straight past the crowd, what's left of it anyway. A few people try to talk to you, comfort you maybe, but you don't care. You storm past everyone, and across the meadow, and into the woods. You storm past the tree where you stash your bow, past the berry patch, and to the rock. Where you sat with her, just this morning. It seems so long ago.

You wish that you could follow the train that's surely leaving right now. But you can't. So you look around at the place where you've spent so many afternoons. It takes a second for you to realize that you're crying. You're actually crying. And then you get angry. So angry that you grab the closest thing, a rock the size of your fist, and you throw it the nearest tree. Then another. Then another. You scream once.

Then your tantrum is over. You take a few deep breaths. And you once again adopt the cold demeanor you put out for the world to see.

The next few days pass in a blur. You do the only thing you can do; you hunt. You hunt without her, and you give most of the food you catch to her family.

When the Opening Ceremonies come, you wait anxiously by the worn television. You don't even notice the kids from the other districts; you just wait for her. When she comes you, your mouth falls open. It looks like she's on fire. Her cape, somehow, there are flames coming of it. The sparks trail behind her. But you can still see her. It's still Katniss. You want to just stare at her forever, but it seems like she's there and gone in only a minute.

So you wait for the training scores.

She get's an eleven. You knew she would. She's special.

But you need to hear her talk.

So you wait for the interviews.

You wonder what she's going to do. Whether she's going to adopt the same angry face you have, or if she's going to just stop talking.

But she does none of that.

She's calm. At first. At least she's still acting like herself. And then starts giggling. You clench you hands into fists. Has she sold out? Why is she acting like this? Has Katniss already disappeared?

But then you see her once more, when the interviewer asks about Prim.

"What did she say to you? After the reaping?"

"She asked me to try really hard to win."

"And what did you say?"

And that's when you see your Katniss again. She loses the giddiness she had before, and says with icy determination. "I swore I would." Please, Katniss, please do.

Her interview's done, there's nothing left to worry about now. You barely pay attention as the boy, Peeta, steps up on the stage. He jokes around with the interviewer, he tells funny stories. The audience loves him. But it's when Caesar asks about his home life that you start to pay a bit of attention. Peeta says something about liking a girl, who doesn't know he's alive. Oh, so he'll be playing that angle. Returning to District 12 for some girl who'll finally notice and love him. But when you he says something else, you know that's not his angle. It's something entirely different.

"Winning won't help in my case," he says.

"Why ever not?"

"Because…because…she came here with me."

You must've heard wrong. He's not talking about Katniss. The camera cuts to Katniss, and she looks like she's in absolute shock. You smile. At least she didn't know. Lover Boy's not going to get very far.

So now the interviews are over. There's only one thing left to do. You wait.

And then the day dawns of the Hunger Games. She's going into the arena today. You can no longer fantasize about them announcing there's been some mistake, sending her home. About her coming off the train, tired but alive, and running right into your arms. Kissing her and telling her you love her and never letting her go.

Instead you gaze at the 23 other tributes that are going to try to kill her.

When she stands on that metal circle, you realize something. Katniss will probably fight her way through the opening, and she will probably die. So in that moment, you say to her once more:

I love you. Goodbye.

* * *

**See what I'm doing? I'm going to TRY to end each chapter with the same phrase. Hopefully, I can work it out.**


End file.
